Bring the liquid to a boil, add the prawns, then immediately turn down the heat and poach gently for 30 seconds, or until pink and just cooked through. Stir in the mushrooms and take off the heat. Personally I love making Tom Yum paste and storing them in the fridge. Not only is it great for making Tom Yum soups, I can use the paste to make Tom Yum Stir Fries – especially Tom Yum Fried Rice! What is in Tom Yum Paste? Once boiling, stir in 2-3 tbsps of the Tom Yum Paste, your prawns or proteins of choice, mushrooms, and fish sauce to season. That’s it! Tom Yum, which is made with only Thai herbs and aromatics, is a delicious beverage that is simple to make. If you want to make Tom Yum, it’s best to use a nam prik pao or roasted dried chilli paste. In my recipe, I also added a few extras, but I don’t plan on including them. Tom Yum paste is suitable for soup with a capacity of two litres, though this is dependent on the amount you require. This Tom Yum Paste can be stored in the refrigerator for a month or in the freezer indefinitely. Is Too Yum Vegan?

Tom yum is a hot and sour soup originating in Thailand. ‘Tom’ refers to the boiling process of the soup, meanwhile ‘yum’ literally means ‘mixed’ and is known for the hot and sour flavor with plenty of fresh herbs and spices.The aromatic: The trio of Thai ingredients forms the base of the tom yum flavor. I am referring to the combination of lemongrass, galangal, and kaffir lime leaves. You also need Thai bird’s eye chilies for the spiciness. You may also add some garlic and shallots to enhance the taste. Why We Love It: It is a flavorful addition to your dishes, making them taste as if they come straight from your favorite Thai restaurants.

Ground white peppercorn and coriander powder can be substituted for whole seeds. Use only half the powdered spices as specified in the recipe card. There's no need to toast the ground spices before making the paste. Bring a pot of water, about 1.5 liters, to a boil. Place all the heads and shells into it and wait until it starts to boil again. Fish sauce. Use good quality fish sauce as it is the main seasoning. Watch my fish sauce tasting/guide video for recommendations.

What Is Tom Yum Paste Made Of?

Long-lasting. Tom Yum paste can be stored in the fridge for up to 7 days and in the freezer for up to 3 months. Why We Love It: Mekhala Organic Tom Yum paste is probably the best option for health-conscious people who want to enhance the flavors of their dishes. However, it is more expensive than other Tom Yum pastes on the list. Fill another saucepan with 750ml boiling water from the kettle, add three tablespoons of the tom yum paste and stir to dissolve. Taste the broth and add more paste until you achieve your desired flavour intensity (brands differ, so the quantity of paste needed will vary). Cut off the lower bulb of the lemongrass and remove any tough outer leaves. Then slice into sections. Any tough bits will be inedible and will need to be removed from the soup before serving. Otherwise, it can be kept in. While we do make some pastes in advance, like green curry paste, red curry paste, and nam prik pao (Thai chili paste), when it comes to making tom yum soup, we prefer making it from scratch.

Next, add about 6 tablespoons of fish sauce first, and 2 teaspoons of sugar. You may need more of each, but start with that.The ingredients in Tom Yum Paste are basically the herbs and aromatics used in the soup, but blended up! That’s it! There is the additional use of dried chilli paste – this is the Thai-Malaysian influence right there. I also added a couple extra ingredients in my recipe, but feel free to skip. Place the chilies, garlic, lime leaves, galangal, and lemongrass in a bowl. Then use a pestle to gently crush the ingredients together into slightly more of a mash. Classic Tom Yum Soup is prepared by boiling several ingredients such as lemongrass, galangal, shrimp and kaffir lime leaves.

The shrimp won’t take long at all to cook; only a minute or two. It is important not to overcook the shrimp or they will turn rubbery. Highly fragranced from all the fresh herbs! The freshness, flavors, and fragrance are unmatched compared to the store-bought paste.

Rinse dried chillies under water and pour boiling hot water over. Allow to soak for 5 minutes, drain, and cut into smaller pieces. Various aromatic ingredients are sliced, roughly pounded, and simmered to extract their flavor. These include fresh ingredients such as lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, galangal, chilis, shallots, and garlic. For shrimp-based soups, shrimp shells and heads may also be simmered, to extract their flavor. These ingredients are often then removed as their flavor is now extracted and many aren't edible. However they may be left in, as an aid to presentation. [5] Fish sauce is the main ingredient to provide the savory flavor of tom yum soup. The saltiness should balance with a fair amount of sugar (white or brown sugar). Sugar also acts as the balancing ingredient for the sourness of the lime juice. Therefore, it is useful to carry out a taste test before serving, as the saltiness and sourness may differ due to the use of different brands of fish sauce and the lime quality. This soup is delicious on its own or even poured over steamed jasmine rice. Of course, it also pairs perfectly with other Thai dishes (see below for recommendations).